Optical disc loading apparatus

ABSTRACT

In an optical loading apparatus, by including a main roller installed at an inlet side of an optical disc drive; a disc guide installed in the opposite direction of the main roller with an inserted disc therebetween; a disc path control member which can change disc path; a small disc stopping member formed at the drive in order to make an inserted small disc stop at a position mountable onto a spindle; and a large disc stopping member formed at the drive in order to make an inserted large disc stop at a position mountable onto a spindle, it is possible to reduce a fabrication cost by reducing the number of parts by simplifying a structure, and accordingly different-sized optical discs can be reliably loaded.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an optical disc player using a slotloading method, and in particular to an optical disc loading apparatuscapable of loading different-sized optical discs with the small numberof parts.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, an optical disc loading apparatus is largely divided into atray transfer type and a slot loading type. In the slot loading type,not by mounting a disc onto a tray and transferring to a disc driver,but by inserting a disc into a slot and transferring it, the disc can beplayed. Accordingly, in the slot loading type, it is difficult tocoincide the disc with a center of a spindle motor in comparison withthe tray transferring type.

In addition, there are an optical disc having a diameter of 12 cm and anoptical disc having a diameter of 8 cm, and accordingly an optical discreproducing apparatus has to be possible to load various size-discs ontoa spindle accurately.

In the conventional tray transferring type, a 12 cm disc mountingportion and a 8 cm disc mounting portion can be easily distinguishedfrom each other by forming a stepped portion. However, in the slotloading type, it is difficult to distinguish a size of an inserted discand load it.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, various optical discloading apparatus have been developed, Japan patent applicationNo.2000-227417 and Korea patent application No.2002-6312, etc. arerelated to them.

However, in the conventional optical disc loading apparatus, because alarge quantity of parts are used in order to distinguish and loaddifferent-sized discs, lots of fabrication cost and fabrication time areconsumed. In addition, operation reliability is lowered.

TECHNICAL GIST OF THE PESENT INVENTION

In order to solve the above-described problems, it is an object of thepresent invention to provide an optical disc loading apparatus capableof reducing the number of parts by simplifying a structure, lowering afabrication cost and loading a different-sized disc reliably.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, an optical disc loadingapparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a mainroller installed at an inlet side of an optical disc drive in order totake in/out an optical disc; a disc guide installed in the oppositedirection of the main roller with an inserted disc therebetween; a discpath control member installed between the main roller and the inlet sideof the drive; a small disc stopping member formed at the drive in orderto make an inserted small disc stop at a position mountable onto aspindle; and a large disc stopping member formed at the drive in orderto make an inserted large disc stop at a position mountable onto aspindle; wherein the disc path control member is formed so that aninserted disc contacting to the main roller, the disc guide and the pathcontrol member simultaneously has a proceeding direction different fromthat of an inserted disc contacting to the main roller, the disc guidesimultaneously; the small disc stopping member has a certain height inorder to stop a disc proceeding while simultaneously contacting to themain roller and the disc guide, and in order not to stop a discproceeding while simultaneously contacting to the main roller, the discguide and the path control member; and the large disc stopping memberhas a certain height in order to lock a disc proceeding whilesimultaneously contacting to the main roller, the disc guide and thepath control member.

Accordingly, in the present invention, by having a structure capable ofvarying a proceeding path of a disc according to a kind of an inserteddisc with the small-number of parts, it is possible to load a discstably.

In addition, it is preferable for the disc path control member to have asub roller installed at the end contacting to an inserted disc.Accordingly, an disc can be smoothly inserted without being scratched bythe disc path control member.

And, the sub roller has a hyperboloid shape so as to contact only withthe outer circumference of an optical disc, and accordingly it ispossible to protect a data storing region of a disc from scratch.

In addition, the apparatus further includes a roller frame, at which themain roller is hinge-joined at the end and the disc path control memberis formed at the other end, rotationally hinge-joined with the mainframe of the optical disc drive. The end of the roller frame at whichthe disc path control member is installed is bended in order to closethe drive inlet when the main roller is separated from an inserted disc.In more detail, when the disc loading is finished and the roller frameis rotated so as to be separated from the inserted disc, the disc pathcontrol member closes the inlet of the disc drive, and accordingly it ispossible to prevent duplicated disc insertion.

In addition, the disc path control member includes a cleaning means at asurface contacted to an inserted disc, and accordingly it is possible toremove impurities on a data storing region of the disc.

And, each contact rib has a different height in order to make aninserted optical disc be stopped completely in the small disc stoppingmember.

In the meantime, as another embodiment of the present invention, anoptical disc loading apparatus includes a roller frame hinge-joined witha main frame; a main roller rotationally connected with the end of theroller frame; a roller driving means for rotating the main roller; a submember installed so as to support the same surface of an insertedoptical disc with the main roller; a contact-pressing means for pressingthe optical disc toward the main roller in order to make the insertedoptical disc contact to the main roller with a contact-pressing force;at least two small disc stopping members formed at the main framecontacted to the outer circumference of an inserted small disc in orderto stop the inserted small disc at a position mountable onto a spindle;at least two large disc stopping members formed at the main framecontacted to the outer circumference of an inserted large disc in orderto stop the inserted large disc at a position mountable onto a spindle;a large disc distinguishing means for distinguishing an inserted largedisc; and a roller frame driving means for rotating the roller frame inorder to make the large disc inserted by the distinguishing means not tobe stopped to the small disc stopping member.

And, the roller frame includes a main roller arm for connected with themain roller; and a sub member arm formed at the opposite end of the mainroller arm and having the sub member; wherein the main roller arm andthe sub member arm are formed so that the hinge point of the rollerframe is formed on a straight line of the top surfaces of the mainroller and the sub member.

In addition, the contact-pressing means includes a hinge protrusionprojected from the main frame, at which the bottom end thereof is placedat the hinge point of the roller frame, in order to contact-press theinserted optical disc toward the main roller and the sub member; and aroller frame elastic member, at which the end is fixed to the rollerframe and the other end is fixed to the mainframe, for contact-pressingthe main roller-inserted optical disc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principles of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1˜13 show an optical disc loading apparatus in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating an optical disc loading apparatus ininserting of a small disc;

FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted small disc is located at position II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted small disc is located at position III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted small disc is located at position IV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted small disc is located at position V in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted small disc is located at position VI in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen a large disc is inserted;

FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted large disc is located at position VIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted large disc is located at position IX in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted large disc is located at position X in FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted large disc is located at position XI in FIG. 7;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a disc guide;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along a line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a front view illustrating a modified example of a sub rollerin accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a side-sectional view illustrating a modified example of adisc path control member in accordance with the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 16 is a plan view illustrating another example of a disc pathcontrol member in accordance with the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 17 is a front view illustration another example of a disc pathcontrol member in accordance with the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 18˜29 show an optical disc loading apparatus in accordance with asecond embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a plan view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin inserting of a large disc;

FIG. 19 is a side view illustrating a large disc cam member in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a side view illustrating a small disc cam member in FIG. 18;

FIG. 21 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin FIG. 18 when a large disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 18 islocated at a position IIX I;

FIG. 22 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin FIG. 18 when the large disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 19 islocated at a position IIX II;

FIG. 23 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin FIG. 18 when the large disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 19 islocated at a position IIX III;

FIG. 24 is a plan view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin inserting of a small disc;

FIG. 25 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin FIG. 24 when the small disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 20 islocated at a position IIX V;

FIG. 26 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the small disc in FIG. 24 contacts to a trigger protrusion;

FIG. 27 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatusin FIG. 24 when the small disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 20 islocated at a position IIX VII;

FIG. 28 is a perspective view illustrating a disc guide in FIG. 21;

FIG. 29 is a sectional view taken along a line IIX IX-II X IX;

FIG. 30 is a front view illustrating a modified example of a sub rollerin accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 31 is a conceptual view illustrating a modified example of acontact-pressing means in accordance with the second embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to accompanying drawings.

In description of the present invention, detailed explanation aboutfunctions and a construction of the conventional art may be abridged inorder not to wander from the gist of the present invention.

FIGS. 1˜13 show an optical disc loading apparatus in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a plan viewillustrating an optical disc loading apparatus in inserting of a smalldisc; FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus when the inserted small disc is located at position II in FIG.1; FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatuswhen the inserted small disc is located at position III in FIG. 1; FIG.4 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatus whenthe inserted small disc is located at position IV in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is aside view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatus when theinserted small disc is located at position V in FIG. 1; FIG. 6 is a sideview illustrating the optical disc loading apparatus when the insertedsmall disc is located at position VI in FIG. 1; FIG. 7 is a plan viewillustrating the optical disc loading apparatus when a large disc isinserted; FIG. 8 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus when the inserted large disc is located at position VIII inFIG. 7; FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus when the inserted large disc is located at position IX in FIG.7; FIG. 10 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus when the inserted large disc is located at position X in FIG.7; FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus when the inserted large disc is located at position XI in FIG.7; FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a disc guide; and FIG. 13is a sectional view taken along a line XIII-XIII in FIG. 12.

As depicted in FIGS. 1˜13, the optical disc loading apparatus inaccordance with the first embodiment of the present invention isoperated by an operating unit (not shown). It includes a main roller 110installed at an inlet of an optical disc drive in order to get in/out anoptical disc 15 a, 15 b; a disc guide 170 installed at the opposite ofthe main roller 110 on the basis of the inserted disc 15 a, 15 b; a discpath control member 130 installed toward the inlet; a small discstopping member 140 formed at the drive in order to make the small disc15 a stop at a position mountable onto a spindle 14 b; and a large discstopping member 150 formed at the drive in order to make the insertedlarge disc 15 b stop at a position mountable onto the spindle 14 b.

The path control member 130 is formed so that a proceeding direction ofan inserted disc simultaneously contacted to the main roller 110, thedisc guide 170 and the path control member 130 is different from aproceeding direction of an inserted disc simultaneously contacted to themain roller 110 and the disc guide 170. The small disc stopping member140 has a certain height so as to lock a disc proceeding while the disccontacting the main roller 110 and the disc guide 170 simultaneously,and so as not to lock a disc proceeding while the disc contacting themain roller 110, the disc guide 170 and the path control member 130simultaneously. And, the large disc stopping member 150 has a certainheight so as to lock a disc 15 a, 15 b proceeding while contacting themain roller 110, the disc guide 170 and the path control member 130simultaneously.

The path control member 130 can be a sub roller for contacting to anoptical disc surface while rotating. The sub roller 130 is a cylindricalroller and has a cleaning means at a surface contacted with the opticaldisc 15 a, 15 b in taking in/out of the disc 15 a, 15 b. The cleaningmeans is made of cotton flannel.

In addition, the main roller 110 and the sub roller 130 are respectivelycombined with the both ends of a roller frame 120 rotationallyhinge-joined with a main frame 11 of the optical disc drive. The rollerframe 120 includes a main roller arm 120 a at which the main roller 110is hinge-joined; a sub roller arm 120 b at which the sub roller 130 ishinge-joined; and a hinge protrusion 120 c hinge-joined with a mainframe. The sub roller arm 120 b is formed so as to close the disc inletwhen the main roller 110 is separated from the optical disc by anadditional main roller cam unit (not shown). In addition, as depicted inFIG. 9, in the roller frame 120, the main roller arm 120 a and the subroller arm 120 b are formed in order to make the optical disc 15 bproceed in a direction not locked in a small disc stopping member whenthe optical disc 15 b is simultaneously contacted with the main roller110 and the sub roller 130.

In addition, the roller frame 120 further includes a spring 180 at whichan end is fixed to the roller frame 120 and the other end is fixed tothe main frame 11 in order to make the disc 15 adhere closely to thedisc guide 170.

The disc guide 170 includes two disc contact ribs 171, 172 facing themain roller 110. As depicted in FIG. 12, in forming of the contact ribs171, 172, a height h1 is lower than a height h2. Because of that, asdepicted in FIG. 4, when the disc is inserted between the contact ribs171, 172 and the main roller 110, the disc can be stably locked in asmall disk stopping member 140. However, the objects of the presentinvention can be achieved by forming the contact ribs 171, 172 so as tomake the disc be locked in the small disk stopping member 140 when thedisc is inserted between the contact ribs 171, 172 and the main roller110. In addition, as depicted in FIGS. 12 and 13, the contact ribs 171,172 of the disc guide 170 are formed so as to be slant downwardly fromthe central portion to the both ends in the Y direction in FIG. 12.Accordingly, they can contact only to the outer circumference of thedisc by being corresponded to the main roller 110 slant upwardly fromthe central portion to the both ends.

Hereinafter, the operation of the apparatus in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIGS. 1˜6 show the inserting operation of the small disc 15 a.

When a user inserts the small (optical) disc 15 a, the main roller 110is operated by an optical disc insertion sensing unit (not shown)arranged at the inlet of the optical disc player, when the small disc 15a reaches the main roller 110, the small optical disc 15 a can beinserted by the main roller 110. As depicted in FIG. 3, when the smalldisc 15 a simultaneously contacts with the main roller 110, the subroller 130 and the disc guide 170, the small disc 15 a is proceeded inthe direction not be locked by the small disk stopping member 140.

As depicted in FIG. 4, when the small disc 15 a passes the sub roller130. The proceeding path of the small disc 15 a can be determined onlyby the disc guide 70 and the main roller 110. In more detail, by placingthe small disc 15 a between the contact ribs 171, 172 of the disc guide170 and the main roller 110, the small disc 15 a proceeds in a directionlocked by the small disk stopping member 140.

As depicted in FIG. 5, the small disc 15 a proceeds continually and islocked by the small disk stopping member 140, and accordingly the centerthereof is arranged at the center of the spindle 14 b.

As depicted in FIG. 6, the main roller 110 moves downwardly by a mainroller cam unit (not shown), and the small disc 15 a is mounted onto thespindle 14 b. In addition, because the main roller 110 moves downwardly,the sub roller arm 120 b closes the inlet of the disc drive and preventsoverlapping disc-insertion.

FIGS. 7˜11 show the inserting operation of the large disc.

When the user inserts the large (optical) disc 15 b, the main roller 110is operated by the optical disc insertion sensing unit (not shown)arranged at the inlet of the optical disc player, when the large disc 15b reaches the main roller 110, the large optical disc 15 b can beinserted by the main roller 110. As depicted in FIG. 9, when the largedisc 15 b simultaneously contacts with the main roller 110, the subroller 130 and the disc guide 170, the large disc 15 b is proceeded inthe direction not be locked by the small disk stopping member 140.

As depicted in FIG. 9, the large disc 15 b proceeds continually, passesthe small disk stopping member 140 and is locked in the large diskstopping member 150, and accordingly the center thereof is arranged atthe center of the spindle 14 b.

As depicted in FIG. 11, the main roller 110 moves downwardly by the mainroller cam unit (not shown), and the large disc 15 b is mounted onto thespindle 14 b.

The main roller cam unit (not shown) can be constructed variously.

As described above, because the present invention is capable ofdistinguishing and mounting a different-sized disc with a simplestructure, it is possible to reduce a fabrication cost, simplify theoperation and improve the operation reliability.

In addition, because the sub roller is made of cotton flannel,impurities on the surface of the optical disc can be removed.

FIG. 14 is a front view illustrating a modified example of a sub rollerin accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

In a sub roller 220, a rotational shaft 221 is rotationally combinedwith the roller frame, and it is formed so as to be slant upwardly fromthe center to the both ends. Accordingly, in contacting of the opticaldisc 15, because it contacts to only the outer side of the optical disc15, it is possible to minimize damage occurrable onto a data recordingsurface of the optical disc 15.

FIG. 15 is a side-sectional view illustrating a modified example of adisc path control member in accordance with the first embodiment of thepresent invention.

As depicted in FIG. 15, the disc path control member includes a springreceiving portion 333 formed at the optical disc drive main body 11; aspring 332 installed in the spring receiving portion 333; and a submember 330 connected to the spring 332 and performing the up and downmotion.

In addition, by fixing the sub member 330 at the optical disc drive mainbody 11, the objects of the present invention can be achieved.

FIG. 16 is a plan view illustrating another example of a disc pathcontrol member in accordance with the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

The optical disc path control member shown in FIG. 16 is installed at aposition different from that of the optical disc path control member ofthe first embodiment. In more detail, it is installed at a position inwhich the small disc 15 a does not contact in taking out and the largedisc 15 b contacts in taking in/out. Accordingly, by preventing thesmall disc 15 a from being contacted to the path control member 130, itis possible to reduce damage occurrable risk of the small disc 15 a.

FIG. 17 is a front view illustrating another example of a disc pathcontrol member in accordance with the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

The optical disc path control member shown in FIG. 17 comprised twotorsion springs installed at disc inlet. Lower fixing plates 732 areformed at each interior sides of the main frame 11 and a upper stoppers733 are formed above the lower fixing plates 732 at each interior sidesof the main frame 11.

The bodies 731 of the torsion spring are facing each other. One end 734of the torsion spring is fixed at the lower fixing plate 732 and theother end 735 of the torsion spring is limited by the upper stopper 733.

The disk 15 a, 15 b in contact with the end 735 of the torsion springproceeds to a small disc locking member 140 and after passing the end735 the disk 15 a, 15 b does not proceed to a small disc locking member140.

FIGS. 18˜29 show an optical disc loading apparatus in accordance with asecond embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 18 is a plan viewillustrating the optical disc loading apparatus in inserting of a largedisc; FIG. 19 is a side view illustrating a large disc cam member inFIG. 18; FIG. 20 is a side view illustrating a small disc cam member inFIG. 18; FIG. 21 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus in FIG. 18 when a large disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 18is located at a position IIX I; FIG. 22 is a side view illustrating theoptical disc loading apparatus in FIG. 18 when the large disc camlocking protrusion in FIG. 19 is located at a position IIX II; FIG. 23is a side view illustrating the optical disc loading apparatus in FIG.18 when the large disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 19 is located at aposition IIX III; FIG. 24 is a plan view illustrating the optical discloading apparatus in inserting of a small disc; FIG. 25 is a side viewillustrating the optical disc loading apparatus in FIG. 24 when thesmall disc cam locking protrusion in FIG. 20 is located at a positionIIX V; FIG. 26 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus when the small disc in FIG. 24 contacts to a triggerprotrusion; FIG. 27 is a side view illustrating the optical disc loadingapparatus in FIG. 24 when the small disc cam locking protrusion in FIG.20 is located at a position IIX VII; FIG. 28 is a perspective viewillustrating a disc guide in FIG. 21; FIG. 29 is a sectional view takenalong a line IIX IX-II X IX.

As depicted in FIGS. 18˜29, the loading apparatus in accordance with thesecond embodiment of the present invention includes a roller frame 420hinge-joined with the main frame 11; a main roller 410 rotationallycombined with the end of the roller frame 420; a roller driving means660 for rotating the main roller 410; a sub member 430 installed so asto support the same surface of the inserted optical disc 15 with themain roller 410; a contact-pressing means for contact-pressing theoptical disc 15 toward the main roller 410, at least two small discstopping members 440 formed at the main frame 11 in order to make theinserted small disc 15 a mount onto the spindle 14 b; at least two largedisc stopping members 450 formed at the main frame 11 in order to makethe inserted large disc 15 b mount onto the spindle 14 b; a large discdistinguishing means for distinguishing the inserted large disc 15 b;and a roller frame driving means for operating the roller frame 420 inorder to make the large disc 15 b inserted by the distinguishing meansnot to be locked in the small disc stopping member 440.

The roller frame 420 includes a main roller arm 420 a for combining themain roller 410; a sub member arm 420 b formed so as to be opposite tothe main roller arm 420 a on the basis of the hinge point; and a hingeprotrusion 420 c formed so as to combine the roller frame 420 with thehinge point 420 d.

It is preferable for the sub member 430 to be a sub roller rotationallycombined with the end of the sub member arm 420 b. However, it is alsopossible to be constructed as a member for simply supporting theinserted disc 15. It is preferable for the sub roller 430 to be made ofcotton flannel.

The main roller arm 420 a, the sub member arm 420 b are arranged so asto make the hinge point 420 d be formed on the straight line of the mainroller 410 and the sub roller 430.

The roller driving means 660 includes a driving motor 661 and a gear set663 connected to a driving shaft 662 of the driving motor 661 and therotational shaft 411 of the main roller in order to transmit power ofthe driving motor 661 to the rotational shaft 411.

The contact-pressing means includes a hinge protrusion 670 projectedfrom the disc guide 470 of the main frame 11 so as to make the bottomend surface of the inserted optical disc 15 place at the hinge point 420d of the roller frame in order to make the inserted optical disc 15contact to the main roller 410 and the sub roller 430; and a rollerframe elastic member 480 in which one end is fixed to the roller frame420, the other end is fixed to the main frame 11 in order to make themain roller 410 contact-press the inserted optical disc 11. Accordingly,when the optical disc is inserted between the sub roller 430, the mainroller 410 and the hinge protrusion 670, the main roller 410 can beoperated while maintaining a certain contact-pressing force to theoptical disc 15.

The disc guide 470 includes two contact ribs 471, 472 facing the mainroller 410. As depicted in FIG. 27, in forming of the contact ribs 471,472, h1 is lower than h2. Because of that, as depicted in FIG. 25, whenthe disc is inserted between the contact ribs 471, 472 and the mainroller 410, the disc can be stably locked by the small disk stoppingmember 440. However, each height of the contact ribs 471, 472 isdetermined so as to lock the disc in the small disk stopping member 440.In addition, as depicted in FIGS. 27 and 28, the contact ribs 471, 472of the disc guide 470 are slant from the center to the both ends in theY direction in FIG. 27. Because of that, they are contacted to only theouter circumference of the disc by corresponding to the main roller 410having a hyperboloid shape.

As depicted in FIG. 21, the small disc stopping member 440 is downwardlyprojected from the top plate of the main frame 11.

In addition, as depicted in FIG. 21, the large disc stopping member 450is downwardly projected from the top plate of the main frame 11.

The large disc distinguishing means includes a a large disc triggermember 610. The large disc trigger member has trigger protrusion 612protruded from the large disc trigger member 610; a hinge joiningportion 613 which make the large disc trigger member 610 connected tomain frame 11; and, a cam pressing portion 614 formed at the oppositeend of the trigger protrusion 612 on the basis of the hinge joiningpotion 613.

The trigger protrusion 612 is formed at the position which can becontacted to the outer circumference of the inserted large disc 15 bbefore contacting to the small disc stopping member 440 and can notcontacted to the outer circumference of the inserted small disc 15 a.

The roller frame driving means can be constructed as a large disc camunit 630 operated by the large disc trigger member 610. The large disccam unit 630 includes a cam member 631 installed movably toward thetaking in/out direction of the disc inserted by being contacted to thecam pressing portion 614; a gear hole 636 formed long in the movingdirection of the cam member 631; a lack gear 637 formed at the internalbottom surface of the gear hole 636; a pinion 638 engaged with the lackgear 637 when the cam pressing portion 614 moves the cam member 631; acam driving shaft 639 connected to the pinion 638; a cam driving motor(not shown) for driving the cam driving shaft 639; a locking avoidancecam slant 632 formed at the cam member so as to move the roller frame inorder to make the inserted disc 15 not to be locked to the small discstopping member 440 by moving the cam member 631 with the cam drivingmotor (not shown); a disc proceeding horizontal plane 633 formed so asto proceed the disc on the locking avoidance cam slant 632; and a camseparation slant 634 extended from the disc proceeding horizontal plane633 in order to make the main roller 410 separate from the insertedoptical disc 15.

In addition, the large disc cam unit 630 includes a locking protrusion615 projected from the side of the cam member 631 so as be locked in thecam pressing portion 614; a restoring spring 639 at which the end isfixed to the main frame 11, the other end is fixed to the cam member 630in order to make the cam member return to the initial position when thecombination of the lack gear 637 and the pinion 638 is released; and alarge disc cam protrusion 421 formed at the side of the roller frame inorder to move toward the cam surface of the cam member 631.

In addition, the optical disc loading apparatus in accordnace with thesecond embodiment of the present invention further includes a small disctrigger member 620 for sensing when the outer circumference of the smalldisc 15 b reaches the small disc stopping member 440; and a small disccam unit 640 operated by the small disc trigger member 620.

The small disc trigger member 620 includes a trigger protrusion 622contacted to the outer circumference of the small disc 15 a before itreaches the small disc stopping member 440; a hinge joining portionhaving the trigger protrusion 622 at the end and hinge-joined with themain frame 11; and a cam pressing portion 624 formed at the opposite endof the trigger protrusion 622 on the basis of the hinge joining portion623.

The small disc cam unit 640 includes a cam member 634 installed movablytoward the taking in/out direction of the disc inserted by beingcontacted to the cam pressing portion 624; a gear hole 646 formed longin the moving direction of the cam member 631; a lack gear 647 formed atthe internal bottom surface of the gear hole 646; a pinion 648 engagedwith the lack gear 647 when the cam pressing portion 624 moves the cammember 641; a cam driving shaft 639 connected to the pinion 648; a camdriving motor (not shown) for driving the cam driving shaft 639; and acam separation slant642 for making the main roller 610 separate from theinserted optical disc 15 b according to the moving of the cam member 631by the cam driving motor (not shown).

In addition, in order to move along the cam surface of the cam member641, a small disc cam protrusion 422 is formed at the side surface ofthe roller frame.

Hereinafter, the operation of the apparatus in accordance with thesecond embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Inserting the large disc 15 b will be described.

When the large disc 15 b is inserted, the main roller 410 is rotated bythe roller driving means 660, and the large disc 15 b is inserted intothe main frame 11. As depicted in FIG. 18, when the inserted large disc15 b is placed at an I position, it presses the trigger protrusion 612,and the trigger member 611 performs the rotation in thecounter-clockwise direction centering around the hinge joining portion613. According to the rotation of the trigger member 611, the campressing portion 614 presses the locking protrusion 615, and accordinglythe large disc cam member 631 is moved.

According to the moving of the large disc cam member 631, the lack gear637 is engaged with the pinion 638, the large disc cam member 631 iscontinually moved, and accordingly the large disc cam protrusion 421 ismoved from the IIX I position to the IIX II position. Accordingly, whilethe large disc cam protrusion 421 moves along the locking avoidance camslant 632, the main roller frame 420 is rotated, and the main roller 410is rotated downwardly as shown in FIG. 22. As depicted in FIG. 22, thelarge disc 15 b is slant by the main roller 410, the sub roller 420 andthe hinge protrusion and proceeds continually without being locked bythe small disc stopping member 440. Afterward, when the large discstopping member 450 is locked, the large disc cam protrusion is movedfrom the IIX II position to the IIX III position along the camseparation slant 634. As depicted in FIG. 23, the main roller 410 iscompletely separated from the large disc 15 b, and accordingly the largedisc 15 b is mounted onto the spindle 14 b.

Inserting the small disc 15 a will be described.

When the small disc 15 a is inserted, the main roller 410 is rotated bythe roller driving means 660, and the small disc 15 a is inserted intothe main frame 11. When the inserted places at the position shown inFIG. 24, it presses the trigger protrusion 622, and the small disctrigger member 621 performs the rotation in the clockwise directioncentering around the hinge joining portion 623. According to therotation of the trigger member 621, the cam pressing portion 624 pressesthe locking protrusion 625, and the small disc cam member 641 is moved.

According to the moving of the small disc cam member 641, as depicted inFIG. 20, the lack gear 647 is engaged with the pinion 648, the smalldisc cam member 641 moves continually, and the small disc cam protrusion422 passes the cam separation slant 642. Accordingly, as depicted inFIG. 27, the main roller 410 is completely separated from the small disc15 a, and the small disc 15 a is mounted onto the spindle.

As described above, because the second embodiment of the presentinvention is capable of distinguishing and mounting a different-sizeddisc with a simple structure, it is possible to reduce a fabricationcost, simplify the operation and improve the operation reliability.

In addition, because the sub roller is made of cotton flannel,impurities on the surface of the optical disc can be removed.

FIG. 30 is a front view illustrating a modified example of a sub rollerin accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

In the sub roller 520, the rotational shaft 421 is rotationally combinedwith the roller frame 420, and it has a hyperboloid shape.

Accordingly, when the sub roller 520 contacts to the optical disc 15,because it can contact only to the outer end of the optical disc 15,damage occurrable onto the data recording surface of the optical disc 15can be minimized.

FIG. 31 is a conceptual view illustrating a modified example of acontact-pressing means in accordance with the second embodiment of thepresent invention.

The contact-pressing means includes a contact-pressing member 771; acontact-pressing elastic member 772 at which the end is fixed to thecontact-pressing member 771, the other end is fixed to the main frame 11in order to press the inserted optical disc 15 toward the main roller410 and the sub member 430; and a separation preventive member 773 atwhich the end is fixed to the roller frame 420, the other end is fixedto the main frame 11 in order to prevent the main roller 410 separatefrom the roller frame elastic member 480 and the contact-pressing member771 contact-pressing the inserted optical disc 15.

As described above, because the contact-pressing member 771 contacts theinserted optical disc 15 to the main roller 410 with a certaincontact-pressing force, the main roller 410 can efficiently move theoptical disc 15.

As the present invention may be embodied in several forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, itshould also be understood that the above-described embodiments are notlimited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unlessotherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within itsspirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore allchanges and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of theclaims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intendedto be embraced by the appended claims.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the present invention can have various advantageous.

First, the present invention is capable of distinguishing a size of adisc and changing a disc moving path according to the size of the discinserted into an optical disc player with a simple structure, andaccordingly it is possible to reduce a production cost.

By simplifying the structure, noise occurrable in operation of theapparatus in the disc loading can be sharply reduced.

In addition, by simplifying a disk loading operation, operationalreliability can be improved.

In addition, by using a sub roller made of cotton flannel, impurities onthe surface of an optical disc can be removed.

1. An optical disc loading apparatus, comprising: a main rollerinstalled at an inlet side of an optical disc drive in order to takein/out an optical disc; a disc guide installed in the opposite directionof the main roller with an inserted disc therebetween; a disc pathcontrol member installed between the main roller and the inlet side ofthe drive; a small disc stopping member formed at the drive in order tomake an inserted small disc stop at a position mountable onto a spindle;and a large disc stopping member formed at the drive in order to make aninserted large disc stop at a position mountable onto a spindle; whereinthe disc path control member is formed so that an inserted disccontacting to the main roller, the disc guide and the path controlmember simultaneously has a proceeding direction different from that ofan inserted disc contacting to the main roller, the disc guidesimultaneously; the small disc stopping member has a certain height inorder to stop a disc proceeding while simultaneously contacting to themain roller and the disc guide, and in order not to stop a discproceeding while simultaneously contacting-to the main roller, the discguide and the path control member; and the large disc stopping memberhas a certain height in order to lock a disc proceeding whilesimultaneously contacting to the main roller, the disc guide and thepath control member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the disc pathcontrol member has a sub roller installed at the end contacting to aninserted disc.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sub roller has ahyperboloid shape so as to contact only with the outer circumference ofan optical disc.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: aroller frame, at which the main roller is hinge-joined at the end andthe disc path control member is formed at the other end, rotationallyhinge-joined with the main frame of the optical disc drive.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a contact-pressing spring atwhich the end is fixed to the main frame of the optical disc drive andthe other end is fixed to the roller frame in order to make the mainroller act a contact-pressing force on an inserted disc.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 4, wherein the end of the roller frame at which thedisc path control member is installed is bended in order to close thedrive inlet when the main roller is separated from an inserted disc. 7.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the disc path control member includesa cleaning means at a surface contacted to an inserted disc.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 7, wherein the cleaning means is made of cottonflannel.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the disc guide includestwo disc contact ribs vertically long at right angles to a proceedingdirection of an optical disc.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein eachcontact rib has a different height in order to make an inserted opticaldisc be stopped completely in the small disc stopping member.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the disc path control member iselastically combined with the main frame.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the disc path control member comprises two torsion springinstalled at both sides of main frame with its bodies facing each other.13. An optical disc loading apparatus, comprising: a roller framehinge-joined with a main frame; a main roller rotationally connectedwith the end of the roller frame; a roller driving means for rotatingthe main roller; a sub member installed so as to support the samesurface of an inserted optical disc with the main roller; acontact-pressing means for pressing the optical disc toward the mainroller in order to make the inserted optical disc contact to the mainroller with a contact-pressing force; a small disc stopping memberformed at the main frame contacted to the outer circumference of aninserted small disc in order to stop the inserted small disc at aposition mountable onto a spindle; a large disc stopping member formedat the main frame contacted to the outer circumference of an insertedlarge disc in order to stop the inserted large disc at a positionmountable onto a spindle; a large disc distinguishing means fordistinguishing an inserted large disc; and a roller frame driving meansfor rotating the roller frame in order to make the large disc insertedby the distinguishing means not to be stopped in the small disc stoppingmember.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sub member is a subroller.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sub roller has ahyperboloid shape so as to be contacted only with the outercircumference of an optical disc.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, whereinthe roller frame includes: a main roller arm connected with the mainroller; and a sub member arm formed at the opposite end of the mainroller arm and having the sub member; wherein the main roller arm andthe sub member arm are formed so that the hinge point of the rollerframe is on a straight line of the top surfaces of the main roller andthe sub member.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein thecontact-pressing means includes: a hinge protrusion projected from themain frame, at which the bottom end thereof is placed at the hinge pointof the roller frame, in order to contact-press the inserted optical disctoward the main roller and the sub member; and a roller frame elasticmember, at which the end is fixed to the roller frame and the other endis fixed to the mainframe, for contact-pressing the main roller-insertedoptical disc.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein thecontact-pressing means includes: a contact pressing member; acontact-pressing elastic member, at which the end is fixed to thecontact-pressing member and the other end is fixed to the main frame,for pressing the inserted optical disc toward the main roller and thesub member; and a roller frame elastic member, at which the end is fixedto the roller frame and the other end is fixed to the main frame, formaking the main roller contact-press the optical disc toward thecontact-pressing member.
 19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the submember includes a cleaning means at a surface contacted to an inserteddisc.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the cleaning means is madeof cotton flannel.
 21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the large discdistinguishing means includes a large disc trigger member having: atrigger protrusion installed so as to contact with the outercircumference of an inserted large disc before it contacts to the smalldisc stopping member, and so as not to contact to the outercircumference of an inserted small disc; and the trigger protrusion atthe end, a hinge joining portion hinge-joined with the main frame and acam pressing portion formed at the other end opposite to the triggerprotrusion with the hinge joining portion therebetween.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 21, wherein the roller frame driving means includes:a large disc cam member installed so as to move toward a taking in/outdirection of an inserted disc by being contacted to the cam pressingportion; a lack gear formed long at the large disc cam member in themoving direction of the large disc cam member; a pinion formed so as tobe engaged with the lack gear when the cam pressing portion moves thelarge disc cam member; a driving motor for driving the pinion; a lockingavoidance cam slant for moving the roller frame in order to make theinserted optical disc not be locked in the small disc stopping memberwhen the large disc cam member is moved by the driving motor; a camseparation slant extended-formed at the locking avoidance cam slant inorder to make the main roller be separated from the optical disc; and alarge disc cam protrusion formed at the side surface of the roller frameso as to be movable along the cam slant.